Review | Maribou State – Hallucinating Love

Label: Ninja Tune

By Maddy Pigott

Maribou State’s ‘Hallucinating Love‘ is a triumphant return, shaped through struggle and resilience. Born from a difficult period of insomnia, anxiety, and Chris Davids’ life-altering brain surgery, the album radiates warmth and an overwhelming sense of hope.

Each track is meticulously crafted, effortlessly blending innovative soundscapes with raw intimacy. The album’s rich layers of drums, synths, and strings create a polished, immersive listening experience, evoking the genre-blurring artistry of artists like Barry Can’t Swim.

Lead single ‘Blackoak’ captures this perfectly with its stairwell-recorded choir adding an authentic charm. ‘Peace Talk’ highlights Holly Walker’s beautiful vocals, the soulful melody driven by the rhythmic pulse of Celtic marching drums, creating a euphoric energy.

Although, ‘All I Need’ remains the standout track as the electronic duo team up with MOBO-nominated Andreya Triana to deliver a powerful and emotionally captivating piece.

Textured with rich field recordings, ‘Hallucinating Love‘ captures the rush of connection, bringing to the surface images of festival crowds dancing and friends walking golden coastlines. “When we were writing, we were imagining how great it’d feel to finally be back onstage, bringing people together again,” Maribou State explains. That hopeful energy pulses through the album, making its delayed release all the more meaningful.

A deeply personal yet universally uplifting collection, it was well worth the wait—solidifying Maribou State’s place at the forefront of electronic music.

Later this year, the band begins a European tour with over 45,000 tickets sold, adding a third Alexandra Palace show after two sold out in hours. Marking Chris Davids’ return from major surgery, they’ll also tour North America in spring 2025 before playing Boardmasters later this summer.